A commentary on insurance coverage issues in Hawaii and beyond

November 04, 2019

Contractor Entitled to Defense for Alleged Faulty Workmanship of Subcontractor

Applying Nevada law, the Federal District Court in Florida found that the general contractor was entitled to a defense of claims based upon alleged faulty workmanship of a subcontractor. KB Home Jacksonville LLC v. Liberty Mutual Fire Ins. Co, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 151235 (M.D. Fla. Sept 5, 2019).

KB Home completed six residential developments utilizing various subcontractors. One subcontractor was Florida State Plastering, LLC (FSP) for installing stucco. Eighty-eight complaints against KB Home implicated FSP's stucco work. Plaintiffs alleged that the stucco subcontractor's work suffered from construction defects, causing damages not only to the exterior stucco, but also the underling wire lath, paper backing, house wrap, wood sheathing, interior walls, interior floors and other property.

Ironshore insured FSP under a CGL policy. KB Home was an additional insured for liability for property damage caused by "your work." KB Home was also insured under its own CGL policy with Liberty Mutual. Both insurers refused to defend.

KB Home filed suit for a declaratory judgment. Liberty Mutual then agreed to defend. Ironshore argued that KB Home was not entitled to partial summary judgment because there were material facts in dispute. The court concluded that the underlying complaints alleged "property damage," caused by an "occurrence" of FSP's allegedly faulty workmanship. Further, there were allegations of damage to property other than FSP's own work. The underlying complaints alleged that FSP's faulty stucco installation caused damage to paper backing, house wrap, wood sheathing, interior walls and interior floors.

Ironshore next argued it still had no duty to defend because Liberty Mutual was providing KB Home a defense. The court disagreed. The presence of multiple insurers did not excuse any single insurer from fully defending the insured. Therefore, KB Home's motion for partial summary judgment was granted to the extent Ironshore had a duty to defend.

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Contractor Entitled to Defense for Alleged Faulty Workmanship of Subcontractor

Applying Nevada law, the Federal District Court in Florida found that the general contractor was entitled to a defense of claims based upon alleged faulty workmanship of a subcontractor. KB Home Jacksonville LLC v. Liberty Mutual Fire Ins. Co, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 151235 (M.D. Fla. Sept 5, 2019).

KB Home completed six residential developments utilizing various subcontractors. One subcontractor was Florida State Plastering, LLC (FSP) for installing stucco. Eighty-eight complaints against KB Home implicated FSP's stucco work. Plaintiffs alleged that the stucco subcontractor's work suffered from construction defects, causing damages not only to the exterior stucco, but also the underling wire lath, paper backing, house wrap, wood sheathing, interior walls, interior floors and other property.

Ironshore insured FSP under a CGL policy. KB Home was an additional insured for liability for property damage caused by "your work." KB Home was also insured under its own CGL policy with Liberty Mutual. Both insurers refused to defend.

KB Home filed suit for a declaratory judgment. Liberty Mutual then agreed to defend. Ironshore argued that KB Home was not entitled to partial summary judgment because there were material facts in dispute. The court concluded that the underlying complaints alleged "property damage," caused by an "occurrence" of FSP's allegedly faulty workmanship. Further, there were allegations of damage to property other than FSP's own work. The underlying complaints alleged that FSP's faulty stucco installation caused damage to paper backing, house wrap, wood sheathing, interior walls and interior floors.

Ironshore next argued it still had no duty to defend because Liberty Mutual was providing KB Home a defense. The court disagreed. The presence of multiple insurers did not excuse any single insurer from fully defending the insured. Therefore, KB Home's motion for partial summary judgment was granted to the extent Ironshore had a duty to defend.